Are you experiencing long waits calling the IRS?

I am still holding on a call to the Internal Revenue Service, even though I called (800) 829-0115 two hours ago. This telephone number is the one often included in notices from the Internal Revenue Service for overdue business taxes.

I had called Friday and held on the phone for over 90 minutes before realizing that perhaps no one was available because of the sequester. I had become accustomed to 30 minute waiting times when calling the IRS, but it appears that they have been increasing dramatically over the recent past.

Also the processing time of Form 1023, Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, appears to have been increasing dramatically, too. Currently it is assigning applications received in April of 2012. Hello: is it not August of 2013 now?

Back in 1992, the Internal Revenue Service had in its employ 210,000 agents; the last time I checked several years ago, the number employed was approximately 190,000. There appears to be a serious problem involving staffing at the Internal Revenue Service, and it needs to be addressed.